U.S. patent application number 15/772238 was filed with the patent office on 2018-11-01 for automatic connecting system with heat-activated release.
The applicant listed for this patent is BEST ACCESS SOLUTIONS, INC.. Invention is credited to Brendon ALLEN, Chad HICKMAN.
Application Number | 20180313113 15/772238 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58631227 |
Filed Date | 2018-11-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180313113 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HICKMAN; Chad ; et
al. |
November 1, 2018 |
AUTOMATIC CONNECTING SYSTEM WITH HEAT-ACTIVATED RELEASE
Abstract
A control module for a motorized door lock assembly includes a
mounting bracket that is electrically connected to the door lock
with wiping electrical terminals, and a housing with counterpart
wiping electrical terminals that are electrically connected to a
battery subassembly and an electric circuit. As a result, the
battery subassembly and electric circuit can be quickly connected
to the door lock merely by sliding the housing over the mounting
bracket. Accordingly, the need for complicated and expensive
connection systems is eliminated. Such an array of mutual wiping
terminals also makes it possible to use the force of gravity to
jettison the housing and its contents from the door lock in the
event of a fire.
Inventors: |
HICKMAN; Chad; (Rensselaer,
IN) ; ALLEN; Brendon; (Indianapolis, IN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BEST ACCESS SOLUTIONS, INC. |
Indianapolis |
IN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
58631227 |
Appl. No.: |
15/772238 |
Filed: |
October 28, 2016 |
PCT Filed: |
October 28, 2016 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US16/59459 |
371 Date: |
April 30, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62248697 |
Oct 30, 2015 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05B 15/16 20130101;
E05B 47/00 20130101; E05B 9/02 20130101; E05B 2047/0094 20130101;
E05B 2047/0058 20130101; E05B 17/0075 20130101; E05B 47/0012
20130101; E05B 15/06 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E05B 17/00 20060101
E05B017/00; E05B 9/02 20060101 E05B009/02 |
Claims
1. An automatic-connecting system for a door lock assembly,
comprising: a mounting bracket connected to the door lock assembly;
wherein the mounting bracket includes a first plurality of wiping
electrical terminals, at least one terminal of which is
electrically connected to the door lock assembly; and further
comprising: a housing connected to the mounting bracket; wherein
the housing includes at least one of a battery subassembly and an
electrical circuit; the housing further includes a second plurality
of wiping electrical terminals disposed in a planar array and
operatively associated with the at least one of the battery
subassembly and the electrical circuit; the first and second
pluralities of wiping electrical terminals are configured for
wiping contact when the housing is moved parallel to the mounting
bracket, to electrically connect the at least one of the battery
subassembly and the electric circuit with the door lock assembly;
and wherein no other electrical connections are required between
the housing and the mounting bracket to electrically connect the at
least one of the battery subassembly and the electrical circuit
with the door lock assembly.
2. The automatic-connecting system claimed in claim 1, wherein no
tools are required to electrically connect the at least one of the
battery subassembly and the electric circuit with the lock
subassembly.
3. The automatic-connecting system claimed in claim 1, wherein the
lock assembly includes a motor; the housing includes both the
battery subassembly and the electric circuit; the electric circuit
and the planar array of the second plurality of wiping electrical
terminals are disposed on a circuit board; the motor is operatively
connected to a first electrical connector; the first electrical
connector is electrically connected to a second electric connector
disposed on the mounting bracket; the second electrical connector
is electrically connected to at least one of the terminals of the
first plurality of wiping terminals; and wherein, when the housing
is connected to the mounting bracket, the motor is operatively
connected to the electric circuit.
4. The automatic-connecting system claimed in claim 3, further
comprising: an anti-tamper system that generates an alert if one of
the first plurality of wiping terminals is electrically
disconnected from its electrical counterpart in the second
plurality of wiping terminals.
5. The automatic-connecting system claimed in claim 4, wherein the
anti-tamper system includes a tamper-detecting circuit electrically
connected between said counterpart terminal in the second plurality
of wiping electrical terminals, and a microprocessor; the
tamper-detecting circuit detects when said one of the first
plurality of wiping terminals is electrically disconnected from its
electrical counterpart in the second plurality of wiping terminals,
and produces an output reflecting the existence of a tamper
condition; and wherein, in response to the output from the
tamper-detecting circuit reflecting the existence of the tamper
condition, the microprocessor generates an alert.
6. The automatic-connecting system claimed in claim 5, wherein the
alert results in at least one of an instruction to a transceiver to
send an alert signal, an initiation of an audible alert, and an
initiation of a visual alert.
7. The automatic-connecting system claimed in claim 1, wherein the
mounting bracket has a generally U-shaped configuration and defines
opposing parallel side portions generally perpendicular to a base
portion; the side portions extend outwardly from the wall and
define respective upper portions; each upper portion includes a
detent-engaging portion; the housing defines parallel housing side
portions extending towards respective mounting bracket side
portions; each housing side portion defines a detent; and wherein,
when the housing is moved along the mounting bracket, respective
detents engage respective detent-engaging portions to releasably
retain the housing on the mounting bracket.
8. The automatic-connecting system claimed in claim 3, wherein the
mounting bracket includes a detent-engaging portion, and the
housing includes a detent engaged with the detent-engaging portion
to releasably retain the housing on the mounting bracket; the
battery subassembly and the electrical circuit have respective
ignition temperatures; the detent has a melting point temperature
lower than the respective ignition temperatures of either the
battery subassembly or the electric circuit; the detent-engaging
portion of the mounting bracket is formed of heat-conducting
material; whereby, when the ambient temperature rises to a point at
which the detent-engaging portion of the mounting bracket melts the
detent, the housing is released from the mounting bracket.
9. The automatic-connecting system claimed in claim 8, wherein no
electrical or mechanical connection remains between the housing and
the mounting bracket after the housing falls away from the mounting
bracket.
10. The automatic-connecting system claimed in claim 8, wherein the
force of gravity in cooperation with the melting of at least a
portion of the housing causes the housing to fall away from the
mounting bracket.
11. The automatic-connecting system claimed in claim 8, wherein the
first and second pluralities of wiping electrical terminals are
configured for mutual wiping electrical and mechanical contact when
the housing is moved parallel to the mounting bracket to
electrically connect the at least one of the battery subassembly
and the electric circuit with the door lock assembly.
12. The automatic-connecting system claimed in claim 3, wherein the
housing is formed of a plastic material having a melting point
temperature lower than the respective ignition temperatures of the
battery subassembly and the electrical circuit; the housing defines
two parallel side portions, each side portion including an upper
portion defining a detent; the mounting bracket is formed of metal
and has an upper portion defining two detent-engaging portions
engaged with respective detents; whereby, when the ambient
temperature rises to a point at which the detent-engaging portions
melt the detents, the housing is released from the mounting
bracket; and wherein the force of gravity causes the housing to
fall away from the mounting bracket.
13. The automatic-connecting system claimed in claim 12, wherein
each housing side portion defines a fastener orifice; and further
comprising: a metal fastener connecting each housing side portion
with the mounting bracket via the fastener orifice; whereby, when
the ambient temperature rises to a point at which the fasteners
melt the material adjacent respective fastener orifices so that the
housing is no longer retained on the mounting bracket, the housing
can be released from the mounting bracket by the force of
gravity.
14. A method of automatically and releasably connecting an electric
circuit disposed in a housing with a motor of a door lock assembly
disposed on a door, the door lock assembly including a mounting
bracket, comprising: positioning the housing so that it is adjacent
to the mounting bracket; moving the housing in a direction parallel
to the mounting bracket so that respective terminals of a first
plurality of wiping terminals disposed on the mounting bracket
slide against respective terminals of a second plurality of wiping
terminals disposed on the housing; wherein at least one of the
first plurality of wiping terminals is operatively associated with
the motor; and wherein at least one of the second plurality of
wiping terminals is operatively associated with the electrical
circuit; and further comprising: continuing to move the housing
relative to the mounting bracket until a detent on one of the
housing and the mounting bracket engages a detent-engaging portion
on the other of the housing and the mounting bracket; wherein the
electrical circuit is electrically connected to the motor.
15. The method claimed in claim 14, wherein no other means are
required to electrically connect the electric circuit to the
motor.
16. The method claimed in claim 14, wherein no plug-and-socket
connections are made between the housing and the mounting
bracket.
17. The method claimed in claim 14, wherein sliding together the
first and second pluralities of wiping terminals activates an
anti-tamper system.
18. A method of jettisoning a housing from a mounting bracket of a
lock assembly disposed on a door, the housing attached to the
mounting bracket, the housing including flammable items having
respective ignition temperatures higher than the melting point of
the housing, comprising: causing an element of the mounting bracket
to melt an adjacent portion of the housing when the ambient
temperature exceeds the melting point of the housing, so that the
force of gravity then jettisons the housing from the mounting
bracket.
19. The method claimed in claim 18, wherein the housing includes
electric terminals slidably connected to electric terminals
disposed on the mounting bracket; and further comprising: using the
force of gravity to disconnect the housing electric terminals from
the mounting bracket electric terminals.
20. The method claimed in claim 19, wherein solely the force of
gravity completely separates the housing from the mounting bracket.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 62/248,697, filed Oct. 30, 2015, the entire
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to control modules, and
particularly to control modules for mounting on motor-driven door
locks.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0003] Motor-driven door locks, for example those intended for used
in schools as part of a classroom lockdown system, frequently
contain mechanisms that permit the locks to be both manually and
remotely actuated. However, conventional control systems for
motor-driven door locks typically require complex means for
attaching their respective electronics packages to the door lock.
For example, one such means requires that plug-and-socket
connections be manually made between the electronics package of the
controller, and the lock. Such a connection system inevitably adds
costs and completion time to the installation of each lock, which
costs are multiplied by the number of classrooms and other
protected spaces in the school. Another connection system requires
that a wiring harness be manually strung from the electronics
package to respective portions of the door lock. Again, such a
system adds cost and installation time to the total school
protection project.
[0004] Furthermore, when installing conventional electronic
packages to door locks, it is frequently necessary to drill
additional holes in the door. Also it is typically necessary to use
tools to both mechanically and electrically connect the electronics
package to the door lock.
[0005] As can be seen, the common denominator among all such
conventional connection systems is that they add cost and
installation time to the overall project. Moreover, the respective
structures of such conventional connection systems, by their very
natures, add even more costs by requiring additional complicated
mechanisms to comply with U.L. fire standards.
[0006] Motor-driven door locks, among other lock systems, must be
designed to meet, for example, the burn test of U.L. Standard 10-C.
In a nutshell, the flammable contents of their respective
electronic packages, such as batteries and electric circuits, must
be released or jettisoned from the door in the event of a fire
before the ambient temperature reaches the respective ignition
points of the batteries and electric circuits. So far, conventional
attempts to solve this problem have been unsatisfactory. The
difficulties that designers face in jettisoning batteries and
electronics from motor-driven door locks are often linked to the
means with which such elements are connected to the door locks in
the first place.
[0007] For example, one connection system requires that the
electronic package not only be electrically connected to the door
lock by a plug-and-socket arrangement, but also that the
electronics package actually be supported on the door lock by the
same plug-and-socket arrangement. One proposed solution was to fill
a portion of the space between the electronics package and its
mounting bracket with a heat-expandable material, so that when a
fire increased the ambient temperature above a certain level, the
heat-expandable material would balloon and forcibly eject the
electronics before the ambient temperature reached the ignition
point.
[0008] Another approach was to load a compression spring between
the mounting bracket and a heat-sensitive retainer attached to the
outermost end of the spring and the mounting bracket. The
electronics were disposed on the other side of the heat-sensitive
retainer. As the ambient temperature rose, the heat-sensitive
retainer would deteriorate and the compression spring would be
released, thereby jettisoning the electronics from the door
lock.
[0009] Thus the very structures of such conventional connection
systems likely resulted in an unanticipated snowballing of costs
for the entire lockdown project to meet fire standards.
[0010] What is needed, therefore, is a fast but effective
connection system that automatically connects the batteries and
electronics of a control module with a motor-driven door lock,
without using expensive manually-installed plug-and-socket
connections or wiring harnesses, and which does not require that
additional holes be drilled in the doors, nor that tools be used to
make the electrical connections. Ideally, such an improved
connection system should also meet U.L. fire standards without
requiring additional mechanisms to jettison the batteries and
electronics from the door lock in the event of a fire.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It has been discovered that by designing a connection system
with the jettisoning problem in mind, both the quick-connect and
the jettison problems could be solved simultaneously. The
quick-connect problem is solved by providing a control module with
a mounting bracket that is electrically connected to the door lock
with wiping electrical terminals, and by providing a housing having
counterpart wiping electrical terminals that includes the batteries
and electric circuit. As a result, the batteries and electric
circuit can be quickly connected to the door lock merely by sliding
the housing over the mounting bracket. Accordingly, the present
invention eliminates the need for complicated and expensive
connection systems, for drilling additional holes in the doors, and
for requiring tools to electrically connect the batteries and
electric circuit with the door lock.
[0012] By design, such an array of mutual wiping terminals of the
present invention makes it possible to use solely the force of
gravity, in concert with using heat from a fire to melt certain
portions of the housing, to jettison the housing and its contents
from the door lock, thereby eliminating the conventional need for
additional mechanisms to meet U.L. fire standards.
[0013] Accordingly, in one embodiment of a control module embodying
the automatic-connecting system of the present invention, a
mounting bracket connected to the door lock assembly includes a
first plurality of wiping electrical terminals, at least one
terminal of which is electrically connected to the door lock
assembly. A housing includes a battery subassembly and electric
circuit, which are operatively associated with a second plurality
of wiping electrical terminals disposed on the housing in a planar
array. The first and second pluralities of wiping electrical
terminals are configured for mutual electrical and mechanical
wiping contact when the housing is moved parallel to the mounting
bracket. No other electrical connections are required between the
housing and the mounting bracket to electrically connect the
batteries and the electrical circuit with the door lock assembly.
The motor of the door lock assembly is electrically connected to
the electric circuit when the housing is connected to the mounting
bracket.
[0014] In another embodiment, an anti-tamper system is activated
when the housing is connected to the mounting bracket, the
anti-tamper system including a tamper-detecting circuit
electrically connected between a terminal (or pair of terminals) in
the second plurality of wiping electrical terminals and a
microprocessor. The tamper-detecting circuit senses when such
terminal is electrically disconnected from its electrical
counterpart in the second plurality of wiping electrical terminals,
and produces an output reflecting the existence of a tamper
condition. In response to this output, the microprocessor generates
an alert.
[0015] In still another embodiment, a plastic housing defines a
detent which is engaged with a detent-engaging portion of the
mounting bracket to releasably retain the housing subassembly on
the mounting bracket. When the ambient temperature rises to a point
at which the detent-engaging portion melts the detent, the housing
is released from the mounting bracket, and solely the force of
gravity causes the housing subassembly to fall away from the door
lock assembly. Thus, in the heat-activated release system of the
present invention, the housing subassembly is jettisoned before the
ambient temperature reaches the respective ignition points of the
batteries and electric circuit disposed in the housing.
[0016] Further embodiments include a method of automatically and
releasably connecting the electric circuit with the motor of a lock
assembly; and a method of using solely the force of gravity, in
cooperation with melting at least a portion of the housing, to
cause the housing to fall away from the mounting bracket.
[0017] In short, the structure of the automatic-connecting system
of the present invention also yields a low-cost but elegant
solution to meeting the UL fire standards.
[0018] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of
the invention. As used herein, the singular forms, "a", "an" and
"the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood
that the root terms "include" and/or "have", when used in this
specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps,
operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the
presence or addition of at least one other feature, step,
operation, element, component, and/or groups thereof.
[0019] As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising,"
"includes," "including," "has," "having" or any other variation
thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For
example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a
list of features is not necessarily limited only to those features
but may include other features not expressly listed or inherent to
such process, method, article, or apparatus.
[0020] For definitional purposes and as used herein "connected" or
"attached" includes physical or electrical, whether direct or
indirect, affixed or adjustably mounted, as for example, the
plurality of wiping terminals is operatively connected to the
electric circuit. Thus, unless specified, "connected" or "attached"
is intended to embrace any operationally functional connection.
[0021] As used herein "substantially," "generally," "slightly" and
other words of degree are relative modifiers intended to indicate
permissible variation from the characteristic so modified. It is
not intended to be limited to the absolute value or characteristic
which it modifies but rather possessing more of the physical or
functional characteristic than its opposite, and approaching or
approximating such a physical or functional characteristic.
[0022] In the following description, reference is made to
accompanying drawings which are provided for illustration purposes
as representative of specific exemplary embodiments in which the
invention may be practiced. Given the following description of the
specification and drawings, the apparatus and methods should become
evident to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Further areas of
applicability of the present teachings will become apparent from
the description provided herein. It is to be understood that other
embodiments can be utilized and that structural changes based on
presently known structural and/or functional equivalents can be
made without departing from the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of
this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more
apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference
to the following descriptions of embodiments of the invention taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a control
module embodying the automatic-connecting system of the present
invention mounted on a door lock assembly.
[0025] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the
automatic-connecting system of FIG. 1.
[0026] FIG. 3 is an enlarged front perspective detail view of the
automatic-connecting system of FIG. 1, with the door omitted for
clarity.
[0027] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective detail view of the
automatic-connecting system of FIG. 1, taken from the front.
[0028] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective detail view of the
automatic-connecting system of FIG. 1, taken from the rear.
[0029] FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective detail view of the housing
subassembly of FIG. 5.
[0030] FIG. 7A is an exploded perspective detail view of the
housing subassembly shown in FIG. 6.
[0031] FIG. 7B is a top plan view of the housing subassembly of
FIG. 6.
[0032] FIG. 7C is an elevational sectional detail view, taken along
lines 7C-7C, of FIG. 7B.
[0033] FIG. 8 is a front perspective detail view of the mounting
bracket of FIG. 4.
[0034] FIG. 9A is an exploded perspective detail view of the
mounting bracket of FIG. 8.
[0035] FIG. 9B is a front elevational view of the mounting bracket
of FIG. 9A.
[0036] FIG. 9C is a side elevational detail view of the mounting
bracket of FIG. 9B.
[0037] FIG. 9D is an enlarged perspective detail view of the
transfer board of FIG. 9A.
[0038] FIG. 10A is a schematic perspective detail view of a portion
of the lock assembly of FIG. 2, taken from the other side of the
door.
[0039] FIG. 10B is an enlarged schematic perspective detail view of
the lock assembly of FIG. 10A, illustrating a motor connector.
[0040] FIG. 11A is a schematic perspective view of a subassembly of
the lock of FIG. 10A connected to the mounting bracket of FIG. 8,
taken from the front of the door, and illustrating the position of
the motor connector of FIG. 10B.
[0041] FIG. 11B is an enlarged schematic elevational detail view of
the subassembly of FIG. 11A.
[0042] FIGS. 12-14 are progressive schematic elevational sectional
views of the housing being attached to the mounting bracket and
lock assembly of FIG. 4.
[0043] FIG. 15 is an enlarged schematic elevational sectional
detail view of the circled portion of FIG. 14.
[0044] FIG. 16 is a partial schematic perspective detail view of a
subassembly of the housing and mounting bracket of FIG. 15,
illustrating the electrical connection of the transfer board with
the motor of the lock assembly, and the mutual wiping connection of
terminals on the transfer board with counterpart terminals on the
circuit board mounted on the housing.
[0045] FIG. 17 is an electrical schematic of the anti-tamper
circuit disposed on the circuit board shown in FIG. 7A.
[0046] FIG. 18 is a block diagram of an anti-tamper system
incorporating the circuit shown in FIG. 17.
[0047] FIG. 19A is an elevational schematic sectional view of the
assembly of housing, mounting bracket and lock shown in FIG. 14,
being exposed to a fire.
[0048] FIG. 19B is an enlarged schematic perspective detail view of
the circled portion of FIG. 19A, illustrating the melting of the
detent formed on the plastic housing by the metal detent-engaging
portion of the mounting bracket.
[0049] FIG. 20 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6, illustrating
the melting of portions of the side portions of the plastic housing
by fasteners connecting the housing to the mounting bracket.
[0050] FIG. 21 is a view similar to FIG. 19A, illustrating the
initial effects of the force of gravity interacting with the
melting of portions of the plastic housing,
[0051] FIG. 22 is a view similar to that of FIG. 21, illustrating
the complete jettisoning of the housing subassembly, along with its
batteries and electric circuit, from the lock assembly, due solely
to the effects of the force of gravity interacting with melting of
portions of the plastic housing.
[0052] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out
herein illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and such
exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of
the present invention in any manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0053] With reference now to the drawings, in particular to FIGS.
1-22, thereof, apparatuses, systems, and methods embodying
features, principles, and concepts of various exemplary embodiments
of an automatic-connecting system for a door lock assembly will be
described. Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, a control module 10
embodying an automatic-connecting system for a door lock assembly,
in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,
includes a housing subassembly 30 connected to a mounting bracket
70, as will be discussed shortly.
[0054] Still referring to FIGS. 1-3, a door lock assembly 12 is
mounted on a door 14 and includes handles 16 operatively associated
with a latch subassembly 18. Rotating one of the handles 16
actuates a cylinder lock chassis subassembly 20, which is aligned
along a spindle axis 21 with an electric motor 22. Rotating a
handle 16 therefore actuates the latch subassembly 18. An example
of such a motorized cylindrical lock assembly 12 is the BEST.RTM.
9KX. Referring for the moment to FIGS. 10A-11B, motor wires 24
terminating in a motor connector 26 electrically connect the motor
22 to the control module 10, so that the door lock assembly 12 can
also be remotely actuated. In one embodiment, the door lock
assembly 12 may be remotely actuated by a gateway or other central
control system for the school lockdown system. For example, a
member of the school staff may initiate a lockdown by actuating a
key fob. The key fob can then transmit a radio signal to the
gateway instructing the gateway to initiate a lockdown for the
school. Upon receipt of the lockdown signal from the key fob, the
gateway can then transmit a lockdown instruction to the radio
receiver or transceiver disposed in control modules associated with
respective door lock assemblies distributed throughout the school.
Circuitry in the control modules may, for example, then cause their
respective powered door lock assemblies to lock the doors. When the
event that precipitated the lockdown has been resolved, a school
staff member can instruct the gateway to cancel the lockdown. The
gateway will then send the appropriate signal to the various
control modules, which may, for example, cause their respective
door lock assemblies to revert to their previous states.
[0055] Referring now to FIGS. 4-6 and 7A-7C, the housing
subassembly 30 includes a housing 32, which may be formed of a
plastic, such as MAKROLON.RTM. 6485 polycarbonate, having a U.L.
94V-O flame rating. The housing 32 defines two opposing parallel
side portions 34 disposed perpendicularly to a base portion 36.
Respective upper portions 38 of the side portions 34 define detents
40. The side portions 34 also define fastener orifices 41, into
which housing fasteners 42 are inserted to connect the housing
subassembly 30 to the mounting bracket 70. As shown particularly in
FIG. 6 and in FIGS. 7A-7C, mounted in the housing 32 is a battery
subassembly 43 which, in the present embodiment, includes four AA
batteries 44. It will be understood that the numbers and types of
batteries 44 may be selected to match the specific application of
the present invention, and is not limited in this regard.
[0056] As is also shown in FIGS. 6 and 7A-7C, a circuit board 46 is
connected to the battery subassembly 43 with circuit board
fasteners 48. A plurality of flat wiping electrical terminals 50,
such as flat rectangular contacts, are disposed in a planar array
on the circuit board 46, so that at least portions of respective
contacts lie substantially in the same plane. There are illustrated
eight such terminals 50 in the present embodiment, but it will be
understood that the numbers and configurations of such terminals
may be adapted to fit the particular application. As shown in FIG.
7A, the flat wiping electrical terminals 50 are operatively
associated with the battery subassembly 43, and with an electrical
circuit 52 disposed on the circuit board 46. The electrical circuit
52 may include, for example, an anti-tamper circuit 54, a
microprocessor 56 and a transceiver 58.
[0057] Referring again to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the mounting bracket 70
is connected to the door 14 with a mounting bracket fastener 71,
and is also trapped between elements of the lock assembly 12 and
the door. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9A-9D, the mounting bracket 70
defines parallel side portions 72, which in turn define respective
housing fastener apertures 73, which are configured to be aligned
with corresponding fastener orifices 41 of the housing 32 when the
housing subassembly 30 is connected to the mounting bracket 70.
[0058] Still referring to FIGS. 8 and 9A-9D, the side portions 72
also include respective upper portions 74, which define respective
detent-engaging portions 76. As will be discussed later in respect
of the heat-activated release system of the present invention, at
least the detent-engaging portions 76 should be formed of a
heat-conducting material, such as metal. In alternate embodiments,
the entire mounting bracket 70 may be formed of metal. A MYLAR.RTM.
film 79 is positioned on the mounting bracket 70 to electrically
insulate the mounting bracket from portions of the housing
subassembly 30.
[0059] As shown in FIGS. 9A-9D, a transfer board 78 is connected to
the mounting bracket 70. A plurality of wiping terminal fingers 80
are disposed on the transfer board 78. The wiping terminals 80 may
be of the spring-type, or may be otherwise biased in a direction
towards wiping contact with respective wiping electrical terminals
50 of the housing subassembly 30. As shown particularly in FIG. 9B
by the dotted lines, electrically-conductive traces 81 on the other
side of the transfer board 78 connect terminal nos. 1 and 4 of the
wiping electrical terminals 80 (see FIG. 9D) with metal transfer
board fasteners 84. Metal transfer board fasteners 84 in turn
connect the transfer board 78 (and therefore the
electrically-conductive traces 81, and terminal nos. 1 and 4) with
the mounting bracket 70. Inasmuch as the mounting bracket 70 is
connected to grounded portions of the lock assembly 12, in the
embodiment when the mounting bracket is made of metal, this
connection results in a chassis ground for terminal nos. 1 and 4 of
the plurality of wiping terminals 80. It will be recognized that,
in other embodiments, the transfer board fasteners 84 may be formed
of materials other than metal. However, in such other embodiments,
there will need to be provided an electrical connection between the
electrically-conductive traces 81 and the mounting bracket 70.
[0060] Referring to FIG. 2, and to FIGS. 10A-11B, which illustrate
partial views of the door 14, the door defines a door aperture 86,
through which portions of the lock assembly 12 are inserted from
the back. As shown in FIG. 2, a thin-door spacer 88 may be disposed
between the door 14 and the mounting bracket 70. When the lock
assembly 12 is assembled to the door 14 via the door aperture 86,
the motor wires 24 and motor connector 26 are also inserted through
the door aperture, as shown in FIG. 10A. With the mounting bracket
70 attached to the door 14 using fastener 71, the lock assembly 12
can be inserted through the door aperture 86 and the mounting
bracket 70. Then the rest of the components of the lock assembly 12
may be assembled on the near side of the door 14. Note that the
motor wires 24 and motor connector 26 protrude through the door
aperture 86. As shown in FIG. 9D, the motor connector 26, or first
electrical connector, can then be inserted into the motor connector
receptacle 82, or second electrical connector, disposed on the
transfer board 78. Still referring to FIG. 9D, and for the moment
also to FIG. 16, the motor connector receptacle 82 is electrically
connected to terminal nos. 2 and 3 of the plurality of wiping
electrical terminal terminals 80. Therefore, when the housing
subassembly 30 is assembled on the mounting bracket 70, terminal
nos. 3 and 2 of wiping electrical terminals 80 (a first plurality
of wiping electrical terminals) disposed on the transfer board 78,
mechanically and electrically engage contact nos. 4 and 5,
respectively, of wiping electrical terminals 50 (a second plurality
of wiping electrical terminals), disposed on the circuit board 46.
The control module 10 of the present invention is thus electrically
connected to the motor 22 of the door lock assembly 12, without
having to use any special wiring harnesses or plug-and-socket
connectors to link the control module with the lock motor.
[0061] A method of connecting the housing subassembly 30 to the
mounting bracket 70 is illustrated progressively in FIGS. 12-14. As
shown by the arrow in FIG. 12, the housing subassembly 30 is first
moved so that it is adjacent and parallel to the mounting bracket
70. Then, as shown by the downward arrow in FIG. 13, the housing
subassembly 30 is slidably moved downwardly along, and parallel to,
the mounting bracket 70, so that respective wiping electrical
terminals 50 in the housing subassembly begin to slidably engage
respective wiping electrical terminals 80 disposed on the transfer
board 78 of the mounting bracket 70. (Note the positions of the
motor wires 24, shown in phantom.) Finally, as illustrated in FIG.
14, the housing subassembly 30 is moved downwardly along the
mounting bracket 70 until respective detents 40 on the housing
subassembly engage corresponding detent-engaging portions 76 of the
mounting bracket with a slight interference fit. The housing
subassembly 30 has now been releasably connected to the mounting
bracket 70 to form a housing and mounting bracket assembly 90. As
shown in FIGS. 1-5, fasteners 42 may also be used to connect
respective side portions 34, 72 of the housing subassembly 30 and
the mounting bracket 70.
[0062] Enlarged detail views of the respective terminal connection
areas of the housing and mounting bracket assembly 90 are shown in
FIGS. 15 and 16. They illustrate that terminal nos. 4-1 of wiping
electrical terminals 80 are slidably connected, respectively, to
terminal nos. 3-6 of wiping electrical terminals or contacts 50. In
the present embodiment, terminal nos. 1, 2, 7 and 8 of the
plurality of wiping electrical terminals 50 are not used, but it
will be appreciated that such unused terminals could be used in
other applications of the present invention.
[0063] To summarize, and referring to FIGS. 12-16, when the housing
subassembly 30 is moved downwardly along the mounting bracket 70,
respective wiping electrical terminals 50 in the housing
subassembly 30 slidably engage respective wiping electrical
terminals 80 disposed on the transfer board 78 of the mounting
bracket 70. When the housing subassembly 30 is thus connected to
the mounting bracket 70, the motor 22 is now electrically connected
to terminals or contacts nos. 4 and 5, respectively, of wiping
electrical terminals 50 disposed on the circuit board 46 of the
housing subassembly 30. That means that the motor 22 may now be
controlled by elements of the electrical circuit 52 disposed on the
circuit board 46 (see FIG. 7A). Furthermore, terminals or contacts
nos. 3 and 6, respectively, of wiping electrical terminals 80
disposed on the circuit board 46 are now electrically connected to
chassis ground. This latter arrangement may be used as a foundation
for an anti-tamper system 51.
[0064] Referring to FIGS. 7A, 17 and 18, an anti-tamper system 51
of the present invention may include an anti-tamper circuit 54
connected between terminal no. 3 of wiping electrical terminals 50,
and a microprocessor 56, terminal no. 6 being electrically
connected to chassis ground and printed circuit board ground. The
anti-tamper circuit 54 detects when terminal no. 3 is electrically
disconnected from its counterpart terminal no. 4 of the wiping
electrical terminals 80 on the transfer board 78, thereby
indicating a tamper condition, such as when someone attempts to
disable the lockdown system in a particular classroom, or when such
an electrical connection between the control module 10 and the lock
assembly 12 is otherwise broken. The anti-tamper circuit 54 can
detect when either of the terminal nos. 1 or 4 on the transfer
board 78 is no longer connected to its respective counterpart
terminal no. 6 or 3, of the plurality of wiping electrical
terminals or contacts 50, on the circuit board 46.
[0065] Basically, the anti-tamper circuit 54 acts as a switch. When
terminal no. 3 or 6 on the circuit board 46 is disconnected from
its respective counterpart terminal no. 4 or 1 on the transfer
board 78, the anti-tamper circuit 54 outputs a digital high,
indicating a tamper condition (such as an open circuit to ground in
the control module 10). When the connection remains intact,
however, the anti-tamper circuit 54 outputs a digital low,
indicating that no tamper condition exists. In at least one
embodiment, an explanation of how such a circuit works may be found
at www.electronics-tutorials.ws/transistor/tran_7.html.
[0066] Referring again to FIG. 18, the digital low or digital high
output is provided to the microprocessor 56, which may be, for
example, a Silicon Labs EFM32G222F64-QFP48. When the microprocessor
56 detects a tamper condition input, it will generate a tamper
alert. The tamper alert may be provided to a transceiver 58 with
instructions to transmit the alert to a gateway, which can control
the entire lockdown system. The transceiver 58 may be provided with
its own microprocessor. The microprocessor 56 may also cause an
audible alert and/or a visual alert to be produced right at the
housing assembly 30 of the control module 10.
[0067] The automatic-connecting system for a door lock assembly
embodied in the control module 10 of the present invention also
lends itself well to an elegant solution of the problem of how to
jettison an electronics package and batteries from the door lock
assembly in the event of a fire.
[0068] FIGS. 19A, 19B and 20 schematically illustrate how a fire
100 can cause the mechanical connections between housing
subassembly 30 and mounting bracket 70 to be released. When the
ambient temperature rises sufficiently to cause the detent-engaging
portions 76 of the mounting bracket 70 to melt the plastic detents
40, as shown in FIG. 19B, there remains no material on the housing
subassembly 30 which can hold the detent-engaging portions. Thus
there no longer remains the slight interference fit between the
detents 40 and respective detent-engaging portions 76. Therefore,
in the embodiment in which fasteners 42 are not also used to
connect the housing subassembly 30 to the mounting bracket 70,
there remains literally nothing holding the housing subassembly 30
on the mounting bracket 70. Here is where the design of the mutual
sliding engagement of the respective wiping electrical terminals
50, 80 once again becomes important. The wiping electrical
terminals 50, 80 are parallel to one another, and are all disposed
vertically in the control module 10. That means that the wiping
electrical terminals 50, 80 themselves can offer no mechanical
resistance to a downward force directed upon the housing
subassembly 30 tending to separate the terminals.
[0069] As was noted above, housing subassembly 30 includes, among
other elements, a housing 32, a battery subassembly 44 and a
printed circuit board 46. In many embodiments, housing 32, battery
subassembly 44 and printed circuit board 46 have non-negligible
weight. In fact, the weight of the housing subassembly 30 can be
perceived just by holding it in one's hand. Accordingly, the force
of gravity, which is always acting upon the housing subassembly 30,
tends to pull the housing subassembly 30 downward and away from the
mounting bracket 70. Inasmuch as the wiping electrical terminals
50, 80 themselves offer no resistance to the downwardly-directed
pull of gravity, and inasmuch as the sole mechanical connections
between the housing subassembly 30 and the mounting bracket 70 have
been melted away, the force of gravity now succeeds in pulling the
housing subassembly downward and away from the mounting bracket.
Consequently, the mounting subassembly 30, together with its
contents, have been successfully jettisoned from the door lock
assembly 12 solely by the interaction of the force of gravity with
the melting of certain portions of the housing 32.
[0070] Furthermore, in those embodiments in which fasteners 42 are
also used to connect the housing subassembly 30 to the mounting
bracket 70, the same rise in ambient temperature that melted the
detents 40 will cause the fastener orifices 41 to melt and to
enlarge significantly around the fasteners 42 to then reach a new
configuration 112, where the fasteners 42 no longer maintain a
mechanical connection between the housing subassembly 30 and the
mounting bracket 70. The result is the same as just noted above.
Now nothing prevents the force of gravity from pulling the housing
subassembly 30 downward and away from the mounting bracket 70.
[0071] FIGS. 21 and 22 schematically illustrate many embodiments of
the interaction of the force of gravity with the melting described
above with respect to FIGS. 19A, 19B and 20. In some embodiments,
as shown in FIG. 21, the dispositions of the various centers of
gravity of the components of the housing subassembly 30, and their
respective weights, coact to pivot the housing subassembly 30 away
from the mounting bracket 70. As the housing subassembly 30
separates from the mounting bracket 70, the wiping electrical
terminals 50, 80 necessarily become disconnected, inasmuch as the
two sets of wiping electrical terminals are not mechanically held
together, as they are in many conventional connection systems. In
other embodiments, the effects of the force of gravity upon various
arrangements of the parts of the housing subassembly 30 may cause
the housing subassembly simply to drop straight down, as shown in
FIG. 22, or to fall away from the mounting bracket in other,
generally downward, directions. The result in any case is the same:
once the force of gravity separates the housing subassembly 30 from
the mounting bracket 70, there remain no mechanical or electrical
connections of any type whatsoever between the housing subassembly
and the door lock subassembly 12.
[0072] It can be seen that the automatic-connecting system for a
door lock assembly of the present invention not only yields a
control module having a mounting subassembly which can be quickly
and releasably connected to a door lock assembly, but also provides
an uncomplicated solution to the problem of jettisoning the
batteries and electronics package of a control system from a
motorized door lock assembly during a fire.
[0073] While the present invention has been described with respect
to various embodiments of a control module for a door lock
assembly, the present invention may be further modified within the
spirit and scope of this disclosure to apply to other products as
well. This application is therefore intended to cover any
variations, uses, or adaptations of the present invention using its
general principles. The accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary
embodiments of the invention. Alternative embodiments, examples,
and modifications which would still be encompassed by the invention
may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of
the foregoing teachings. The example and alternative embodiments
described above may be combined in a variety of ways with each
other. Further, the steps and number of the various steps
illustrated in the figures may be adjusted from that shown.
Furthermore, this application is intended to cover such departures
from the present disclosure as come within known or customary
practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall
within the limitations of the appended claims. Those skilled in the
art should now appreciate that various adaptations and
modifications of the example and alternative embodiments described
above can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit
of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within
the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced
other than as specifically described herein.
* * * * *
References